Chapter 003: Leisurely Married Life

A person alone is actually uninteresting. It is only when everyone comes together to play that it becomes interesting

It is truly the most effective tool for fishing in the wild

Indeed, there is no need for baiting; it is even easier to catch fish here than in the fish ponds of later generations. Once again, a foolish fish took the bait, opened its mouth, and swallowed the hook. It then swam straight towards the deep water, pulling the float directly into the water, disappearing without a trace

On the way back, I passed by the Li family. I chose two fresh fish of similar weight and sent them in through the door. I merely said it was for Lord Li to taste, but in truth, the fish were too heavy, and I was impatient to carry them. I found an excuse to show my filial piety to my father-in-law.

An elderly man, in a hurry, rushed over barefoot to scoop the fish onto the shore, which turned out to be a late Qing weighing over 20 pounds

Upon seeing other people's shops, one often contemplates what methods can be employed to double the customer flow and similar business strategies

Su Er is returning to his villa to accompany his wife, while Old Master Su has not taken a new wife since his lady passed away, resulting in a somewhat diminished atmosphere at dinner

Su San also remained silent, moving a stone to the lakeside and choosing a good spot on the water's surface to sit down

Despite the fact that many times, good people avoid him while scoundrels laugh at him, he does not care about others' attitudes, nor does he associate with those scoundrels. After all, he now aims to be a good man, bound by the vows made by Li Yue'er.

Upon opening the box, one finds that it is neatly organized with many small items arranged in compartments.

On the shore, there is a group of envious old men

The hooks are custom-made. The mold for the hooks is crafted by hand, allowing the blacksmith's shop to continuously forge the pig iron, leaving only a small amount of high-carbon steel to be poured into the mold, forming it in one go. Although the size of the hooks cannot undergo significant changes, the design has been enhanced with the addition of barbs, and improvements have been made in terms of toughness, which should reduce the likelihood of breakage.

These matters, the old gentleman certainly only thinks about in his heart and does not speak of. Therefore, most of the time, when the two dine together, they remain silent.

Speechless, it is not the time for Yu'er to play with him. In a situation where losses outweigh wins, it is he who accompanies Yu'er in play. This little girl always has better luck than he does

While fishing and chatting, in just one morning, they managed to catch over ten fish. Although the sizes varied, together they likely weighed around eighty to ninety pounds. After packing up the fishing gear, they shared a few fresh fish with the old men. Su San and Yu Er carried the remaining fish back to the Su residence.

The life during the Feng Dynasty was leisurely, and this slow-paced lifestyle was very beneficial for both physical and mental health. His mood gradually adjusted, while time swiftly passed in this relaxed way of living

Why is that

Su San listened to their veiled jabs at each other and chuckled to himself. The next day, he returned to sit under the tree by the lake, quietly watching the old men fishing.

Also playing poker with Yuer, using thin bamboo pieces to make the cards, which when thrown on the table, have a very tactile quality, surprisingly more engaging than paper cards. The only downside is that the patterns on the back are not uniform, giving Yuer the opportunity to cheat. After becoming familiar with the game, she surprisingly managed to win against her master.

Taking a ball of bait that had been prepared long ago from the small box, I pinched it onto the hook and gently cast it into the area where I was testing the water

It is to be feared that it will not be so easy in the future

Su San still wore a faint smile and gently said, "In a couple of days, I will bring my own fishing gear, which should be more effective than yours; at least I can catch a few more fish..."

It has been just one day after another like this, no more gambling, no more visiting brothels, and no more causing trouble with others, which has indeed made the old gentleman feel somewhat perplexed

Along the way, Yu'er admiredly told him, "Young Master is the most impressive; even those fishermen would find it difficult to catch so many fish."

Unknowingly, I have been in this dynasty for more than a month now

The old gentleman keeps a strict watch over him, but this strictness merely entails a firm requirement for him to return home and sleep every night. This does not seem to pose much difficulty

On the morning of the third day, Su San indeed appeared leisurely by the lake, carrying a long bamboo pole.

Having tested the water depth and adjusted the height of the fishing float, this marks the official start of fishing

Therefore, it is often either the hook that breaks or the line that snaps, resulting in a pitifully small catch of fish, which is, in fact, less enjoyable than fishing in later generations

What does it mean

He reached out to take a bundle of neatly coiled hemp line and leisurely tied it to the tip of the fishing rod. This hemp line was the best fishing line available in this dynasty, and fortunately, the Su family was in the fabric business, so they had an abundance of hemp line. After careful selection, they chose the finest hemp line, which was a stroke of good fortune, to replace the fishing line. Although it was still not entirely satisfactory, it was much sturdier than the silk and hemp fishing lines used by the old men.

He has not caused any trouble, and he returns home for dinner every day, which greatly pleases the old gentleman. This shows that the old gentleman's expectations of him are indeed quite low

Nevertheless, he feels somewhat regretful that thorough improvements cannot be made in this regard

There are many fish in Donghu, far from the scarcity of resources seen in later generations. Fishing does not require baiting the spot; the fish bite the hooks vigorously, leaving onlookers dazzled.

He had long discerned their extraordinary vision from their discourse. With learned scholars in conversation and no commoners among them, he found great pleasure in engaging in conversation and chatting with this group of elderly gentlemen, given his current mindset

The old gentleman is so busy that he can hardly keep up with himself, and most of his daytime is spent out of the house. Even with the assistance of Su Er, it is still quite difficult for him to find any leisure time. This is because the Su family's business has expanded significantly over the past two years

After World War II, the first to become wealthy were still those Jews who had possessed a significant amount of wealth before the war. This indicates that the key issue is not how much wealth you currently possess, but rather how much wealth-generating mindset you have

Oh, I understand now. So, the young master taught Yu'er how to play poker, and then Yu'er can accompany the young master in playing.

After speaking, he paid no further attention to the old men chattering about their discussions, continuing to watch them fish until the sky began to darken, before leisurely making his way back.

Dinner is generally meant to be eaten together, but it is only the old master Su and Su San who will be present.

Everything has been prepared, yet the actual situation still does not measure up to even one-tenth of the conditions of later generations. Among this entire set of fishing gear, what he is most satisfied with is actually this bamboo fishing rod.

Su San, on the other hand, had no intention of keeping anything to himself; the communication in the morning was purely an exchange among fishing enthusiasts. Although so far it had only been his one-sided impartation, these elderly gentlemen showed no hesitation in seeking advice from the younger generation. In their conversation, they seemed quite self-admiring, fully endorsing the nonsensical things he had said.

Although Yu'er is just a young maid, people in ancient times matured early and were well-versed in the ways of the world. Such harmful things that could corrupt a young girl must not be left in his room

He admires the old man's spirit of "sticking to one thing until the end"; in this era, this is not an easy feat.

There is not much difference, it's just that the bamboo segment is a bit longer than our pole, and everything else is pretty much the same, an old man commented.

Thinking it was just a small fish, I casually pulled, and a koi fish over 1 foot long was drawn out of the water

Everyone is free from any utilitarian mindset, and there are no conflicts of interest; they do not inquire about each other's identities. In the midst of laughter and conversation, they only discuss the joy of fishing, casually chatting for a few moments. This sense of tranquility aligns well with my current state of mind

One day, an old man curiously said to him, "This young man comes to watch the fishing every day, it seems he has a preference for this activity, but why does he not take the opportunity to catch a fish?"

This excuse is actually somewhat amusing, but with this excuse, he can rightfully return to his original self, preventing outsiders from feeling confused by the changes

Do not underestimate this bamboo fishing rod. It is quite difficult to find a rod that exceeds 3 meters in length, has a root diameter of no more than 3 centimeters, and features evenly spaced, slender bamboo joints

I practiced this thing when I was young, then switched to hard pen later. Now that I have picked it up again, although I am not yet proficient, I am not starting from scratch either. At least in terms of calligraphy, his awareness and vision are still ahead of this era.

Then from now on, we will not teach them

When feeling tired from reading, one can also practice calligraphy

It is unclear whether it is the bait that is particularly appealing or if the ancient fish are not very astute, but in any case, once they bite, they are extremely fierce, pulling the float down sharply.

It seems that they come to fish, not truly for the purpose of fishing, but rather to tease others in such moments.

Even during the day when wandering aimlessly, she followed closely behind him. Well, since his previous life, he had never developed the habit of carrying money when going out. Whatever he wanted to buy, it was always the people around him who paid. It seems that in this life, he cannot escape this fate either

When someone encounters a situation where their line breaks or hook gets lost, the other elderly fishermen who are fishing nearby will laugh gleefully, exchanging a few teasing remarks, which indeed adds a certain morbid pleasure to the situation

Such bamboo poles, combined with the meticulous craftsmanship of later generations in making fishing rods, can certainly create an exquisite hand rod. With such a hand rod, a gentle lift is all that is needed to hook a fish weighing two pounds out of the water

"Give me the box!" Su San smiled and nodded at the old men who had already started fishing, and softly said a word to Yu Er.

Thus, during the day, his main activity is to go out for a stroll, looking around here and there

At this time, the fishing gear was rather poor. The hooks were not only rough but also prone to breaking; the fishing line was very thick, making a loud noise when lifting the rod. It was far inferior to the fine lines of my previous life, which entered the water silently and left no trace upon exiting, and were also not as durable.

Take a piece of rubber and fit it onto the fishing line. This rubber is used to secure the float and is made from the carefully selected, gelatinous skin of animal legs, repeatedly boiled and dried. In this dynasty, no one would think to use this, as they have never employed floats. They rely solely on intuition and experience, observing the fishing line to catch fish

What is being referred to, of course, is the fishing float

Young master, you have good things; please do not keep them to yourself

We have the best fishing gear here!" Another old man, hearing Su San's words, turned his head in indignation and said.

Hurriedly, she extended the box she was holding forward, while Yu'er looked at Su San with curiosity, unsure of what he intended to do

Let the excited Yu'er place the fish into the net bag, as he calmly pinches the bait again and casts the line down to the old spot once more

It is approximately 2 jin. It seems relatively easy to pull up, indicating that this set of fishing gear still has a significant amount of elasticity. He checked the fishing gear and found no issues, so it can continue to be used.

Little Fish truly shows respect; as soon as the hook sinks to the bottom, fish begin to bite.

It is better to enjoy together than to enjoy alone

The old men did not know what he was doing; they only saw him bowing his head and fiddling for a long time. Not only did he not cast his line, but he also tied a black and white pointed object to the fishing line

In the past two days, he has frequently gone to East Lake to watch people fishing. Sometimes, he would watch for an entire day.

Several old men turned their heads to look at him. He had been coming every day for the past few days; although he had not spoken much, everyone was somewhat familiar with his face

An old man, unable to contain his curiosity, approached to take a closer look. "Young man, why is there a porcupine quill hanging on the fishing line?"

Su San smiled noncommittally. There is no practical significance in arguing with these people

Without good fishing gear, it is indeed somewhat difficult to catch these large fish. This is not like in later times when the fishing industry is so developed that there are all kinds of nets available; as long as there are fish in the water, there is no net that cannot catch fish.

What lies before us is indeed somewhat unbearable to witness

There is no way to change the bad habits formed in the previous life; despite the desire to change them in this life, it remains impossible to do so

After having dinner, he usually returns to the small building in the annex.

Su San gestured for the old man to look closely, yet remained silent

The old gentleman once pondered: Could it be that on the day of the wedding, he was struck on the head by a plate, which caused the change? However, it doesn't seem quite like that; aside from occasionally uttering some nonsensical phrases, his speech and demeanor are quite normal.

"Young master, young master, it is a carp." Yu'er, holding the net he had woven, ran to the lakeside, scooped up the fish, and joyfully ran back.

It seems somewhat amusing

Seeing the old man approaching, Su San casually replied, "What could be wrong with that?"

Transitioning abruptly from extreme busyness to a state of idleness, he initially found it difficult to adapt. Feeling uncomfortable all over, he constantly sought something to occupy his time. However, after a few days, he began to acclimate to this lifestyle and learned to enjoy the leisurely existence of 'being well-fed all day without any concerns'

The young man's fishing skills are quite impressive! However, could you possibly share a few tips on the secrets behind them?

A float made from the quills of another porcupine is tightly secured onto the rubber

Where could there be anything good? Having lived for half a lifetime, my experience is still not as rich as that of a young person? To ask such a question.

During mealtime, the old gentleman would ask Su San what she had done that day. Su San would only briefly mention a couple of things. In fact, there was not much to say, merely some aimless wandering.

Tomorrow, they will learn my method of fishing, and the day after tomorrow, more people will adopt my approach. As more individuals become skilled at fishing, the fish in this lake will naturally decrease

The old man who spoke first, seeing Su San's relaxed demeanor, couldn't help but curiously ask, "Could it be that there are truly better fishing tools?"

With a slight pull, one can immediately feel the weight in the hand, as the dark fish swims rapidly at the bottom of the water. Holding onto the fish, it took two to three minutes along the shore before finally dragging it slowly to the bank.

Yuer is always by my side

Gradually transitioning from discussing fish hooks to fishing rods, from the mechanics of traction to the habits of fish, "... for the fish, it is essential to know oneself and know the enemy, so that one can engage in a hundred battles without peril. ..." Furthermore, it is said, "To do a good job, one must have the right tools." Before casting the line, all preparatory matters must be thoroughly addressed, ... one must cater to the preferences of the fish; naturally, one cannot rely solely on small worms or tiny earthworms to entice them, as the bait is also crucial. ... one must cater to the preferences of the fish; naturally, one cannot rely solely on small worms or tiny earthworms to entice them, as the bait is also crucial. ...

While wandering around the city, he still tends to approach problems with his old way of thinking, and whenever he encounters something new, he cannot help but overthink it.

Take out a hook and secure it using the straight hook method. Then take a piece of soft copper skin and clamp it tightly at the position of the fishing line near the hook. This is also an aspect that the fishermen of the past never considered.

Hehe... this is too simple for you all, and I don't have any suitable fishing gear... so. Su San really cannot muster any interest in such simple fishing tools; it is all because the equipment used in the previous life was too good. Even when I was just a child in my past life, playing around with fishing, the gear I had in hand was probably ten times better than what these few have before me.

There are many books on the bookshelf, available for him to read for a long time, but among these books, there are some albums of "Spring Palace Pictures" originally collected by Su San, which must be burned.